


Distribution of Normality

by starri



Category: B.A.P
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, M/M, Magical Realism, Multi, Sirens, Sweet, Urban Fantasy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-05
Updated: 2016-06-05
Packaged: 2018-07-12 12:20:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7103146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starri/pseuds/starri
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kim Himchan is the most wonderfully underwhelming human he’s ever met, and Daehyun is <i>smitten</i>.</p><p>Inspired by Daehyun’s blond hair and the notion of creating a fantasy world where humans are the least common species.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Distribution of Normality

They meet at a club.

The humidity and heat makes Daehyun’s feathers rustle uncomfortably, and the deep bass beats just on the wrong side of uncomfortable against his ears, but he wants to meet Yongguk hyung’s friends, and he misses dancing.

When he eventually locates him, Yongguk claps him on the back in welcome, and grins widely. “This is Song Jieun. Jieun, Daehyun.” He says while making room for Daehyun to slip into their booth.

He is so excited to finally meet Song Jieun that he deposited himself almost entirely on top of the man next to Yongguk in his hast to greet her. Daehyun spares the man an apologetic smile before snapping his attention back to Song Jieun’s smile and outstretched hand. He shakes her hand reverently, uncharacteristically tongue-tied - but, this is _Song Jieun_ – blessed by the Gods of beauty and charm and heiress of a wealth of knowledge in the mystic arts – Daehyun idolized her since buying her first spell book over five years ago.

A low chuckle reminds Daehyun that he’s still impolitely arched over someone’s lap. He retreats hastily, and give his own embarrassed chuckle back to the man, and receiving a sharp, easy grin in return.

“And this is Himchan.” Yongguk adds.

“Ah, hi.” Daehyun takes Himchan’s proffered hand as well. “Jung Daehyun, half siren.”

“Kim Himchan, human.” Himchan tells him.

Daehyun’s surprise must have showed on his face, because Himchan’s grin widens to show a hint of teeth. There’s an unspoken question hanging between them, but at that moment, Jieun says “Yongguk tells me you’re learning magic.” And Daehyun is swept away from Himchan’s sharp grin into Jieun’s soft smiles.

 

He never meant to be rude, but, humans are just not that common anymore. Every human Daehyun’s ever met evitably follows their species with a trail of credentials – blessed or cursed by which God, which other species is in their heritage, a practitioner of which mystic arts, and carrier of which type of enhancement. After the God Wars and Magical Renaissance and the age of the Neo-technology, it’s close to impossible to meet anyone not affected in some shape or form.

He had never had anyone introduce themselves as simply ‘human’ before.

 

Himchan can’t see well in the dark, his human muscles are laughably weak compared to the typical citizens that populate the metropolises center, his speed is poor. He can’t fly or cast spells or carry a God’s Mark. He’s near sighted and can only breathe oxygen. In many ways, his survivability isn’t very high compared – well, just about everyone else Daehyun encounters.

Daehyun likes to believe that his immediate attraction to Kim Himchan is because he gravitated inexorably to Himchan’s planetary charm. But he’s lying if he doesn’t admit that it’s equally due to the fact that he has a protective streak taller than the atmosphere. Daehyun doesn’t like to think about it, because it is the most unfair cause to bask in Himchan’s affection.

 

 

Youngjae has quite a bit of fae mixed in with his elven blood, and it shows around the cheekbones and the ears – but he got his complexion from receiving a vampire’s Bite in highschool.

Daehyun’s known Youngjae for what seems like a thousand lifetimes, but the Bite is the one subject that Daehyun can’t broach. They don’t talk about the chilled bags of blood Daehyun sometimes finds in his fridge, they don’t mention Youngjae’s three tubes of sunblock that he always keeps on himself. Daehyun doesn’t bat an eyelid when Youngjae stubbornly orders his meat well done.

Which is why Daehyun chokes on his spit when, as Himchan takes out his phone to check his hair, Youngjae sprawls down beside them and loudly complains ‘It’s not fair I got even hotter after mirrors and camera’s don’t work anymore.”

Himchan makes a none-committal snort of amusement while Daehyun is still rooted with shock.

“Hyung,” Youngjae pouts as he give Himchan a pointed nudge “look at me. I need to make sure I look ok before we leave.”

Himchan finishes making sure his fringe has not rebelled since he last checked it three seconds prior, then turns his gaze to Youngjae good-naturedly.

They stare at each other for a second, then Youngjae reaches up to pat a stray strand of hair back in place.

“Hold up,” Daehyun interjects, “did you just – are you doing that _aos si_ mind control thing? Are you seeing out of Himchan hyung’s eyes?”

“It’s not ‘mind control’, it’s called Third Sight, ok?” Youngjae huffs, still using Himchan as a mirror and straightening his collar.

Twenty minutes later, the three of them are seated front row to Jieun’s magick showcase. However, the exchange wouldn’t leave his mind even when Jieun noona performs the most breath taking illusion charms. The encounter leaves Daehyun amazed with a lingering sense of discomfort, and yet - he still doesn’t know why.

 

 

Daehyun wears pastel because it looks damn good with his blond hair and contrasts well with his skin. He wears crewnecks because it feels nice against the feathers trailing from his hairline, along the back of his neck and down his arms.

Himchan wears pastel because he loves pink. Daehyun finds himself ridiculously endeared.

 

 

Himchan has three mattresses and no actual bed frames because he lives smack in the middle of hustle and bustle of downtown and when the gang has a night out, they pile into Himchan’s bachelor pad afterwards to sleep off the alcohol.

Daehyun wakes up in Himchan’s arms – Yongguk hyung is a lot more boney, and Jongup doesn’t sleep shirtless. He confirms his very impressive detective reasoning as he reluctantly opens his eyes to weak rays of sunlight dropping on Himchan’s inky spill of hair tickling his nose. He can see Jongup’s arm thrown over the covers on Himchan’s other side. That means the whir of the coffee bean grinder coming from Himchan’s kitchen must be Yongguk hyung.

“Hyung, let go.” Daehyun mumbles into Himchan’s hair.

“- extra toothbrush’s in the same place.” Himchan mumbles back and turns, barrowing into Jongup’s chest instead.

“You can’t chase kangaroos -“ Jongup mutters through his sleep and settles against Himchan more comfortably. Daehyun stumbles into the bathroom with a smile on his lips.

He brushes his teeth, and follows the smell of coffee to the kitchen.

Yongguk is stirring a warming pot of rice porridge bare chested while two mugs steam beside him.

“Morning.” Daehyun mutters to Yongguk, receiving a sleepy nod and a low grunt. The ink on Yongguk’s skin ripple languidly – the tendrils lazy with Yongguk’s lethargy. Daehyun steals coffee from Yongguk’s mug because Yongguk actually takes sweetener with his caffeine while Himchan’s sweet tooth somehow doesn’t extend to ground coffee beans.

Daehyun watches his hyung’s tattoos for a while more. “I’m thinking of getting inked” He tells Yongguk as the older fetches bowls.

Hands pausing in the act of pouring rice porridge, Yongguk gives him a thoughtful frown. “That’s a big decision. Moving tattoos are… exhausting to maintain if you’re not of _Yong_ descent, you’ll have to drink replenishing potions pretty regularly, or else the Markings will start draining your life force.”

“I was actually thinking of just getting a regular tattoo.” Daehyun replies, surprised at the sincerity with which Yongguk is treating what he meant to be a thrown away comment.

“I’ll get you some pamphlets from Tasha’s shop, so you know what you’re getting into.” Yongguk smiles at him. “I know some good artists if you do decide. Go wake the other two so we can eat.”

 

 

 

“So Himchan hyung is really human? Like, a hundred percent?”

Jieun laughs. “Yeah, with no affinity to the mystics either. I tried to teach him some self-defence spells a few years back, but he’s the most stubbornly un-magical person I’ve ever met.”

“Isn’t that dangerous?” Daehyun asks, “he lives downtown. Just about everyone can charmspeak or has superior strength or something –“

“The earring he wears protects him against charmspeak. Otherwise I find that he can get himself out of any situation he gets himself in to.” Jieun sips her tea and gestures of him to sit. “Himchannie has a very exact idea of where he wants to fit into the world. I find that kind of clarity is more valuable than any of Gods’ gifts we can inherit.”

Daehyun feels heat trailing across his cheeks, although why he’s caressed by embarrassment, he’s not sure.

“Did you make his charm resistant earring?” Daehyun asks instead.

Jieun grins.

Daehyun grins back.

“Noona, you’ve _got_ to teach me that.”

 

 

Not for the first time, Daehyun ends up buying too much at the supermarket, and after the forth very pointed hint that anyone willing to help carry the load will get compensation in the form of iced caffeine, Himchan grudging lets Daehyun shove two bags into his hands.

After they fill Daehyun’s tiny fridge, they bring the extras to Daehyun’s mother.

Himchan glances around in casual fascination as they wait for the door to be answered. Daehyun wonders if Himchan has ever been into a predominantly siren neighbourhood before.

 

If Himchan is surprised at the girth of the wings his mother has, draped over her shoulders demurely like a shawl, he doesn’t show it. Instead, as Daehyun gets to work sorting the groceries, he can hear Himchan’s raspy, laughter filled voice claiming: “Aunty, you are the most wonderful thing I’ve encountered today, and this is after I’ve had the good fortune to spend the day with your son.”

Carefully, Daehyun closes the fridge door, and then very decidedly bashes his head against it with a dull _tonk_. He really needs better taste in friends.

His mom is saying “You must stay for a snack at least, I just made cold glass noodles.” And that’s when Daehyun realized that Kim Himchan managed to win his mother over in less than five minutes.

 

They stayed for the noodles, and then Daehyun treats Himchan to coffee like he promised.

“Do you have wings?” He asks, as they wait for their order.

“No. _Half_ siren, remember?”

Himchan hums under his breath with a nod, and moves to get their order. Daehyun closes his eyes and rubs at his temples, and when Himchan gets back with their drinks, Daehyun fancies himself ready for the evitable questions.

Himchan doesn’t ask though, merely sits down and begin flipping through his phone, making very small talk about the recent invitation to Junhong’s recitals, sipping his coffee while bathed in the afternoon glow slanting through the café window.

Daehyun makes affirmative noises on automatic, in a daze. He wants to tell Himchan about – well about himself. But how does he begin to explain? He’s prepared to pour out his heart to this incredible man in front of him, but he so desperately lacks the tools. How does he explain that he’s half siren - half of a whole siren? Half of an identity? Untethered and unwinged and so, so unsure? How does he begin to unravel the mysteries of love – which birthed him and his older brother? How does he tell Himchan that his mother, wings hard and hands callused, believed so whole-heartedly in true love that she conceived children though magic after falling in love with his father – a being so magical that he can’t appear in the normal dimensions for more than a few minutes at a time? How does he explain his mother’s serene smiles as pitying middle aged women whispers ‘ _-single mother_ ’ and ‘ _-doesn’t even know their dad_ ’ to her back.

“Do you-“ He begins, and Himchan looks up at him. Daehyun swallows in the face of his attention, and begins again. “Did you grow up in a human neighbourhood?”

“Yeah.” Himchan answers without a pause. “It was very neo-tech based, ya know? I was the only kid in my classes without implants. But it was largely human. Honestly a lot of the families there were a bit elitist. There’s not many purely human bloodlines left, and some people confuses rare with precious.”

“And your-?” Daehyun really doesn’t know how to phrase the question

“My parents? They are – more liberal I guess? I mean like, some of my old classmates were disowned for having none human _friends_ let alone partners, but my parents didn’t –“ He pauses, and Daehyun wonders if Himchan is feeling what Daehyun is feeling – that need to lay his soul bare onto the intricacy of the ever-changing universe, but unable to find the right words “They never said anything like that, like they said that they would support me no matter what – but I felt, this … silent understanding that they had? Like they expect to hold human grandchildren one day.”

Himchan smiles, the corners of his lips turning up in a soft curve, devoid of amusement. “It’s kind of built in, and I think they know it’s that – that expectation that made me move away, right? But it’s so – so ingrained that they can’t even comprehend why … It’s like being homesick for misery. I miss them so much, but every time I think about going back to that neighbourhood I can’t even bring myself to smile.”

“I know what I want, to be happy, you know?” Himchan’s straw is chewed flat, and Daehyun can’t move his eyes away from the teeth marks as he lets Himchan’s voice wash over him, desperate to understand “but I want so many things, and some are so contradictory – I want to fulfill their expectation – but I also want to be here, carve my way into a society where I can meet amazing people like you –“

Himchan cuts off as Daehyun’s head snap up. It might be the first time Daehyun has ever seen his hyung so completely unsure of what to say.

“I think you’re pretty amazing too.” Daehyun says.

Himchan’s laugh rings out, surprised and sudden, and it soothes Daehyun’s hot tangle of thoughts into a warm nest of ideas.

 

 

 

“What are you making?”

“Lotion of Junhong.” Himchan doesn’t even look up from stirring coconut butter.

“- I.. what- why? I thought you’re baking or something.”

“He needs more moisturizing in the summer, because of the dryad thing, and also because of the dryad thing he’s super sensitive to none-organic shit - So I make him some lotion once every few months.”

“How do you even know how to make lotions?” Daehyun asks, fascinated.

“Internet.” Himchan laughs. “What are you doing?”

Daehyun looks up from his notebook, feeling the rise of heat on his neck, “ah, memorizing a charm Jieun noona is teaching me – the … your earrings?”

There’s something inexplicably delightful about making Himchan happy– his whole demeanor brightens, his posture unfurls like a blossom welcoming morning rays. His expression is more wonder than gratitude and for a split second his eyes widen before narrowing into pleased curves. Daehyun is always taken off guard by that Himchan’s happiness, because it always seems that Himchan is surprise too, surprised that of the infinite possibilities the world can propose, such a wondrous one has been offered to Kim Himchan.

Himchan looks at him with the faintest hint of a smile gracing the edge of his lips, his fingers dripping with the forgotten coconut butter. “ – are, are you learning that for…”

“Yeah.” Daehyun can’t help but giggle at Himchan’s inability to finish the sentence, even though he can feel the heat tinging the tips of his ears “Yeah. For you. I want to make you earrings, hyung.”

Himchan’s grin rounds out his cheeks. “About time someone appreciates my greatness.” He announces, turning back to his bowl and adding tea tree oil and mandrake skin into the coconut butter.

 

 

 

“What’s been eating at you recently?” Youngjae asks one day

“Dunno, just felt weird about you using Himchan hyung as a mirror.” Daehyun replies absentmindedly through a mouthful of crumbs.

Almost immediately, he realizes what he had said. “Wait, I didn’t mean- you – you traitor! Using my weakness against well-made pastries against me-”

“You’d be a terrible spy.” Youngjae snickers

“And here I was thinking you brought me tarts because we have a sacred bound known as a _friendship_.” Daehyun mutters drily before taking another purulent bite out the tart.

Silence, and then: “So you’re not okay with my Third Sight.” Youngjae prompts with the expression of a man who can’t help probing an aching tooth with the tip of his tongue.

“I- No, Youngjae, of course I don’t – look I just- I’m not even sure why-“

“Ah.” Youngjae’s expression clears into a carefully blank slate before rearranging into the type of Yoo Youngjae smirk that preluded many of Daehyun’s more mortifying conversations with his - soon to be ex - best friend. “So you’re only not ok with me using Third Sight on Himchan hyung.”

Utterly mortifying. And Youngjae is definite an ex-best friend now.

“I _may_ have a crush on him.” Daehyun can feel his lips forming a displeased pout. He hates pouting. “And it’s natural to be worried! Does he even have mental defenses against fae mind magick? What if someone bad uses their Sight on him, or worse –“

Daehyun cuts short, the thought too horrible to voice.

“Ya,” Youngjae produces another tart out of nowhere and slides the tiny peace offerings towards him. “calm down, Himchan hyung has some pretty impressive mind defenses, especially considering – well, he’s _really_ unmagical. I think Yongguk hyung trained him, and you know what Yongguk hyung is like. Anyways, his mind allows me through pretty easily because he has more control than me over our mental link.”

“Wh-how?”

“He’s one of my donors. My Debt to him sort of establishes itself as mental control over my fae magick. I don’t really know how it works. Sunhwa noona spent an hour explaining it to me once, but I only understood like, one out of every three words from her lecture.”

“One of your dono-“ and then the penny drops. “y—you take blood from him!?”

Youngjae’s expression can’t qualify as anything other than a leer at this point, “Aw, Daehyunnnie, are you jealous because you _like_ like him?”

Daehyun splutters, swallows the last bite of tart and asks incredulously, “What are you? Twelve?”

“Who does Daehyun hyung like like? Is it Himchan hyung?” Jongup’s voice sounds from behind Daehyun and seriously, is he surrounded by children?

“Yo, bro” Youngjae laughs, offering his hand up for a fist bump, and Jongup happily obliged. “And of course, who else?”

Jongup nods in casual acknowledgment, which might possibly be even more mortifying than anything else.

“What are you doing here anyways?” Daehyun asks hurriedly in a desperate attempt to derail the conversation.

“Hana noona is giving me a tarot read in exchange for some crystals” Jongup replies.

“Oh, she’s a bit busy at the moment, in the middle of potion making. Something went wrong and Jieun noona is helping her.”

Jongup nods, and pulls out a seat for himself with a preoccupied expression, and then says seriously: “He really likes wine, especially eldergrape, that’s probably the safest first date gift for Himchan hyung.”

“Oh my gods,” Daehyun moans, horrified, while next to him Youngjae nearly keels over laughing “I’m not – I don’t need dating advice? And like he literally introduces himself like _‘I am Kim Himchan and I make orgasm faces when sipping fruit based alcohol’_ , I know he likes wine, gods- would you stop laughing?” He gives Youngjae a kick under the table.

Jongup smiles at him innocently “Just trying to help.”

 

 

 

“Shit.” Himchan says, blunt fingers holding the little wooden box carefully. “Shit, it looks so nice, I feel bad not buying them off you now.”

Daehyun punches him on the arm excitedly “-So you like it? Yeah?”

Himchan throws him a grin and starts taking out the stud in his ear.

“Wait, hyung, I haven’t tested it properly yet, I just wanted to make sure you like the design first.”

“We can test it now,” Himchan says as he finishes putting in Daehyun’s _first ever_ protection charm. Daehyun is vibrating with excitement “You’re a siren, you can charmspeak, right?”

“Half siren” Daehyun corrects automatically, “and yeah, you want me to try and charm you?”

“Go for it.” Himchan raises one sculpted eyebrow with a smirk.

Daehyun takes a breath, letting his siren’s voice seep into his vocal cords. “Then, call me _hyung_.”

“Oh, come on.” Himchan laughs, and gives Daehyun’s cheek a pat “be more ambitious, at least tell me to call you oppa or something.”

Daehyun doesn’t mean to catch Himchan’s wrist as he begins to pull away – but he does. He doesn’t mean to say the words – pushed out of him through months of wondering what if, carried by his siren’s voice. He feels his feathers flutter excitedly with the use of his power, feels the tendrils of his siren magic unfurl towards Himchan, lilting like a lover’s touch, softly planting the charm, the sweet poisoned seed of suggestion:

“Hyung, kiss me.”

Daehyun catches the split second widening before Himchan’s eyes narrow into pleased curves. Before Daehyun fully processed what he’s done, Himchan drops a kiss on the corner of his lips.

“Oh my gods.” Daehyun whispers. There’s half a half beat of stillness where the world crumbled into tiny fragments of guilt and warmth and panic in peace, and then he’s flinging away Himchan’s wrist and stepping back, horrified. “Oh my gods, I _took advantage_ of you. I _charmed_ you – oh my gods—“

“Shut up.” Himchan commands him, eyes still so pleased. And Daehyun shuts up. Not for the first time, he wonders if Himchan is actually human – because it feels like Himchan charmed Daehyun instead. He can only stand and watch with helpless, soundless embarrassment as Kim Himchan takes out Daehyun’s first ever protective charm, and slips his old earring back in place.

“You trust Jieun, don’t you?”

“What?” Daehyun asks, utterly confused.

“This earring is spelled against charmspeak by Jieun. You trust her magic, don’t you? I’m going to kiss you again, if you don’t mind.”

 _He meant it -_ Daehyun thinks as he hyperventilates just a little – and manages to splutter “I – no I don’t mind, why would I mind? Jongup thinks I should buy you wine first though, but if you don’t think that’s a requirement I’m not complaining – “

Himchan is laughing, warm and easy against his lips, and Daehyun is amazed, that out of the infinite number of possibility the universe has to propose, such a wondrous one is offered to Jung Daehyun.

**Author's Note:**

> messy and not very serious. Just something I wanted to get write down.  
> also I really really really like urban fantasy.
> 
> The thing with using someone else's eyes as a mirror is inspired by a small scene in Sir Terry Pratchett's book Maskerade, which I most definitely recommend.


End file.
